Love Don't Die
by gracefrazier
Summary: Grace Frazier tends to a absolutely vehement Rumplestiltskin who returns home from one of his "deals" gone wrong. RumplestiltskinxOC oneshot OOC Rumplestiltskin


A few days passed since I came to live with Rumpelstiltskin in his cottage. He was gone a lot of the night and even part of the day. I often thought back to his words "No Grace, I don't believe you will be just mere slave in this household. I believe someday you will be more." I wondered what he meant by that statement.

I was in the cottage cutting up carrots to make soup for dinner when suddenly the door opened and was slammed shut. The walls trembled as I looked up to see a furious Rumpelstitlskin, he kicked a few things on the floor. He growled like a mountain lion as he took some trinkets off the self and threw them against the wall.

"Are you alright? What's happened?" I asked him wondering if I should stay where I was or go up to him. Rumpel turned to me. I could see his body shaking as his eyes glowed with anger.

"I will have what's mine! I do not grant free gifts they are deals! I'm sick of people thinking they can get away with not paying the price." Rumpelstiltskin said to me as he threw one of the cakes I had made earlier in the day into the wall, its pieces all over the wall and floor. I was a bit pissed as I grumbled to myself silently and grabbed a rag to clean up the mess.

"Grace, don't bother with that at the moment. Come to me." Rumpelstiltskin said to me. Only being with him for a few days, I did as I was told. He grabbed me around my waist and sat me on his lap. Our faces were close and our lips were merely a few inches away. His hand reached up to my chin forcing me to look into his eyes. His eyes had been filled with such anger when he first came home, now they were filled with wonderment.

"Why did you come with me so easily? Other's aren't even willing to give me so much as a gold coin. But you, you gave me your life, your freedom willingly….why?" He asked me in wonderment.

I thought a moment, the answer wasn't that simple, I actually didn't understand it myself. I normally would have told him to get lost and fight him for my right to choose my own life. There had been something about him though, something that made me want to be with him, stay with him.

"I can't really explain it," I said, "I guess I just trust you." He looked a bit surprised by my answer. I could tell he hadn't been told someone trusted him before. At least not completely as I seemed to feel I could.

Rumpelstiltskin nodded and then told me to continue with my chores. I nodded and stood up from his lap. I finished putting the ingredients to the soup and it was cooking, I remembered that I still had that cake to clean up off the wall and floor. Once that was cleaned up I realized that I was being watched. I turned to see Rumpelstiltskin hadn't moved from his chair and was watching me intently.

"Is there something I can help you with?" I asked him. He shook his head, and continued to watch me. I nodded to him and continued to clean up the rest of the mess that had been made when he got home.

"I'm sorry people aren't honoring their end of the deals they make with you." I said to him when things were all back in their place. He continued to watch me silently. I was starting to get annoyed that all he could do was stare.

It wasn't long before the soup was finished and I poured it into two bowls. After putting a spoon in each bowl, I walked over to the chair where Rumpelstiltskin was still sitting and handed him his bowl. He took it but his eyes never left me. I sat in a chair by the table a few feet a way from him. After a couple of minutes, Rumpelstiltskin stood up and took the chair on the other side of the small table.

I felt like he was watching me the way a lion watches its prey. I quietly ate my soup occasionally looking up to see Rumpelstiltskin had finally looked away from me and focused a bit on the soup.

"We're going to be running out of the water supply that you have here soon. Is there a well or creek close bye so I can get some?" I asked him remembering I needed wash clothes tomorrow.

"There's a small stream just west of here. Not hard to find if you follow the path. Just do me a favor, don't fall in this time." He said smirking at that last part. I smiled and nodded.

….

The next morning I made my way to the stream, I held two old wooden buckets in each hand as I trudged down the path. Rumpelstiltskin had left the night before, so I had no idea where he was or what he was up to though, I suspected he was making deals and collecting payments. The stream was about a 30 minute walk from the cottage. It wasn't too bad, but those buckets were heavy and I was tired. I dreaded thinking about how much heavier the buckets would be being filled with water.

Along with the buckets I brought some soap, shampoo and washcloth so I could freshen up a bit. I knew I had a couple of trips to the creek to get enough water to replenish the supply back at the cottage so I didn't have to make the trip to the stream every day. I dipped each bucket in to the cold stream and then quickly washed my hair, face and hands.

After a few minutes rest, I stood up and picked up the buckets and started to head back. I had just barely gotten back in to the woods, when I heard some twigs snap behind me. I turned and couldn't see anyone or anything behind me. I shook my head it wouldn't be the first time I imagined something like twigs cracking. I continued on my journey but I quickly realized I wasn't alone. I could hear deep breaths coming from behind me. My heart was starting to pound, I had nothing but buckets, soup, a washcloth and shampoo with me. I had nothing that I could use to defend myself.

I turned and saw a huge grey wolf behind me. I could see some blood stains in the corners of the wolf's mouth. It growled at me as I went to take a step back. It took a few steps close to me, howled and charged at me. Without having time to really think, I lifted one of the buckets up and smacked the wolf in the jaw with it. I dropped the other bucket and started to run back to the cottage.

I could feel the wolf's breath on the back on my neck as I tried to outrun him. It wasn't working too well. I thought back a bit remembering my brother, his wife, my home. I also thought of Rumpelstiltskin and the short lived life I had with him. I was brought back from my thoughts when I tripped over a big rock, I had failed to see.

My body collided with the ground and I let out a scream. I turned around saw the wolf almost face-to-face with me. I backed away until I my back felt the rough touch of a tree trunk. I covered my face with my arms as the wolf lunged forward to take its first bite.

Then I heard a loud collision, I looked up and Rumpelstiltskin was there. He held a torch with fire in one hand, yelled and scared the wolf away. Once the wolf was gone, he turned back to me and said,

"I think what I first said about you is true. Grace, you are quite the handful. Well come on, we still have some water to get." I was a bit in shock, but I stood up and followed him back down the path. It wasn't too long before we reached the area I had dropped the buckets. He picked one up and handed the other two me. Once the buckets were filled with water again, we made our way back to the cottage.

"Thank you for saving me again." I said to him as we walked side-by-side. He turned to me and gave me another one of his smiles.

"You're too valuable to lose. So naturally, if I'm able, I will always come to rescue you." He said. I nodded, grateful to him for helping me. To my surprise he continued to talk,

"I'm staying home tonight. I even brought home a roast; I was hoping you can cook it for dinner." He said.

"Of course, that should be fine." I replied to him. His smile widened and he said,

"Excellent. I will look forward to that." We talked a bit more and soon we were back at the cottage.

"I'll get the rest of the water, you go ahead and get started on that roast. I'll be back shortly." Rumpelstiltskin said to me as he grabbed a couple more buckets and headed back to the creek. I nodded, thanked him and went inside. I quickly spotted the roast and to my surprise some red roses in a vase on the table. I quickly got started on the roast and once I had prepared it and it was cooking over the fire. I also pealed some potatoes cut them and some carrots up and put them in the pot with the roast. I had to admit, this meal made my mouth water. I hadn't eaten a roast since I was probably 10.

Now all I had to do was wait for everything to cook. I walked over to the table and looked at the roses. They were beautiful. I wondered who they were meant for. I could hear footprints outside the door and soon it opened to reveal, Rumpelstiltskin. I smiled and him and told him the roast was in cooking along with some carrots and potatoes.

"Excellent." He responded.

….

I could hear the thunder and rain falling outside as I quickly lit a fire in the fireplace. I even got some candles lit so we could see around the cottage easier. The roast was now finished and I had plates set out on the table as well as cups and mismatched silverware. There were three candles in the middle of the table as well as the pretty roses. I put the plate with the roast, carrots and potatoes on the table and looked over at Rumpelstiltskin and said,

"Everything is ready."

Rumpelstiltskin walked over to me and put an arm around my waist as he looked down at the food on the table.

"Wonderful, my dear Grace. What a feast you have prepared for us. Shall we begin?" He said turning to me. Our faces inches apart. A few seconds of us just staring at each other, I snapped out of my the trance and said,

"Of course we shall."

He seemed to snap out of his trance too, smiled and we sat down and began our meal.

….

After dinner I cleaned up the table, did dishes and put everything away. I left the kitchen when I ran straight into Rumpelstiltskin. Our eyes met and he gave me another one of his impish smiles. His arms wrapped around my waist as he said,

"Dinner was wonderful, Grace, you are a wonderful cook." I smiled and thanked him. His one arm moved up my back, onto my arm and then I felt his hand on my face as he pulled me closer to him. Our eyes locked on each other, as his hand sneaked behind my head. His face grew closer to mine, and he pulled me into a rough kiss.


End file.
